Golf shaft



May 22, 192s. 1,670,531 R. H. cowDERY GOLF SHAFT Filed Aug. 17, 1927 Patented May 22, 1928.

fuNi'rEo ras COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.4

GOLF SHAFT.

Application mea August i7, 1927. serial No. 213,467.'

My invention relates to shafts for sporting striking implements, such as golf shafts and the ,like and relates particularly to golf shafts.

In my previous application for patent, Serial No. 167112, filed February 10, 1927, I disclose therein an improved metallic tubular shaft made of integrally joined sections of progressively different decreased diameter according to their disposition relative to the handle portion ofthe shaft and in the said application I showed a golf shaft wherein all portions intermediate the handle and the head were preferably of the same length, and wherein the reduction in diameter as b etween adjacent sections was uniform.

I find, however, that much of the objection heretofore had by players using the continuously tapered tubular metallic shaftspreviously proposed, wherein the taper is uniform throughout the length of the flexing portion of the shaft, is due to the fact that it is impossible in such shafts to so distribute the flexure that there will be sufhciently more I 25 flexure in the portion of the shaft more nearly adjacent the head than in those portions relatively more remote therefrom.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to accomplish the production of a tubular metallic golf shaft, wherein the rate of change of diameter may be varied in different parts of its length so that, for instance, those players who wish to have relatively more `flexure in the portion of ythe shaft more nearly adjacent the head may have this to a degree in excessof that increased flexure which might be had in shafts tapering uniformly throughout their length. In other words some players desire a certain amount of whip action to give the required degree of snap to the blow imparted to the ball and it is an `object of my invention. therefore, to accomplish this snap action.

In a'broad way, however, the object of my invention is not alone limited to the attainment of a shaftwherein the rate of change of diameter is thus increased toward the head end of a golf shaft, as I contemplate making. anylbenecial change that may be desired and which is capable of being accomplished by varying the rate of cli-ange of diamctcr of the shaft.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment thereof and in which description reference will be had to the accompanying drawingswhich illustrate the said embodiment.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational View of an embodiment of my invention, approximately one-fourth the size of the actual device illustrated; and Y Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal medial sectional View, the view heilig drawn approximately to full scale.

eferring to all of the figures of the drawings, in all of which like parts are designated Iby like reference characters, at 10, I show a golf club shaft formed of seamless tubular steel composition material, at 11, a handle, and at 12, a head; in the present illustration the head 12 being that of a wooden7 type, such as are commonly termed drivers, brassies, or spoons The handle of the shaft may preferably be supplied with the usual spirally wrapped leather grip, secured thereto by a wrapping of thread 14 with a' metallic cup 15 afliXed to the end of the handle.

The head 12 may be formed with the usual hosel 16 having a bore 17 therein into which one end of the shaft is projected and secured by a transversely disposed pin 18. A suitable thread wrapping 19, in accordance with the common practice, may be placed at the junction of the hosel and the shaft 10.

The shaft comprises a plurality of integrally joined preferably substantially cylindrical tempered steel sections, disposed in stepped relation, comprising an enlarged handle end section 5, about which the handle grip is wrapped, a head and/or tip section 6 of less diameter than the handle section telescoped 'within the bore of the hosel and secured therein, and a plurality of intermediate sections indicated at 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 of progressively less and less diameter and of successively increased thicknesses of wall,

THE AMERICAN FORK & HOE

proceeding from the handle end of the shaft towards its head end. The wall thickness of each of the sections increases progressively towards the head end of the shaft commensurable with the amount of reduction in diameter of the sections; each of "these sections being preferably formed of inwardly directed pressure extraneously applied, such as by forcing the tube successively through drawing dies having die openings of progressively smaller andy smaller sizes, eachl time toJsuccessively lesser lengths of tube, so that the diameter of successive sections is successively less, andl annular integral truss junction portions 21 are disposed between each pair of adjacent sections.

To accomplish the snap action desired in the embodiment of my invention shown herein, the shaft is formed with sections so varied in length, that the length of the section 22 adjacent the handle is preferably of cber of sections illustrated and proportioned greater length than the section 23 which is nearer the head, and the samerelation is true as between the section 23 and its adjacent section of smaller diameter, the relation being duplicated as betweenA all adjacent irs of sections towards the middle of the s aft, such a variation of shaft sections accomplishin a gradually increasing rate of change in egree of fiexure in the shaft portions disposed towards the middle of the shaft than would obtain were each of these sections similarly reduced in relative diameters and of the same length. I preferably i make all sections disposed intermediate the middle of the flexing portion of the shaft to the head end thereof of about the same length but of less lengththan the other 'seclion relatively more remote from the club Although my invention is not limited thereto, a golf shaft formed with sections having a section 22, 3% inches long;a section 23, 3 inches long; a section 24, 2%'

inches long; and the next two sections, 25 and 26, 21/2 and 2% inches, respectively, in length; and the remaining 8 sections, 27, adjacent the head being each 2 inches long, the golf shaft in this case being about 42 inches long. The truss junctions 21 between the sections, as shown, accomplish a decrease in, outside diameter as between adjacent sections of about El; of an inch'. The wall thickness of the portions near the head is increased 20 to 40 percent over the wall thickness of the handle section 22. Other relative rates of change of dimensions may likewise be accomplished to vary the degrec of iiexure in various parts of the shaft. A user may desire a greater number of short sections than shown on the drawings in order to produce a shaft having greater Whip in use, while another user may desire a less number of short sections and a greater number of long sections to produce as described and having the intermediate 15 A inclined tubular junctions, bestshown' in Fig. 2 at 42, possessescertain advantages not had in tubular shafts with fewer sections and without including the intermediate inclined tapered tubular junctions. Among such advantages are the inability of the shaft to transmit mechanical vibrations of high frequency from the head to the handle, such vibrations being of a rate sufficiently high as to create, in other constructions, r1nging.

It will be noted that in the shaft illustrated, the tip section 32 is really of greater length than the jacent sections, but since most o-f the section 32 is enclosed in the head 90 of the club, the free portion of the section 32 is not of substantially greater length, but is preferably of lesser length than the ad-v jacent sections, since the portion encased by the head is not free to yield to the stresses embodied on the free portion ofthe shaft intermediate the handle and club end.

Having thus described my invention in a specific embodiment, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiment herein illustrated and described without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A shaft for sporting implements com- 106 prising a tube of relatively hard resilient steel composition, comprising a handle section, a tip section of considerabl less diameter than the handle section, an intermedi-yate integrally joined stepped tube sections of 110 varying lengths, the sections disposed towards the head end of the shaft, being generally shorter than the sections more remote therefrom.

2. A shaft for sporting implements comprising a tube of relatively hard resilient steel composition comprising integrally joined, stepped tube sections of progressively less and less diameter and of varying lengths towards the head end of the shaft, 120 the Wall thickness of the sections of lesser diameters increasing proportionally commensurate with the reduction in dlameter, relatively to sections of greater diameters.

3. A shaft for sporting implements comprising a tube of relatively hard resilient` steel composition comprising a handle section, a tip section of considerably less diameter than the handle section, and intermediate integrally joined stepped tube sections of varying lengths, the shorter sections being disposed towards the head end of the shaft, the sections having wall thicknesses inversely commensurable with their diameters. E

4. A shaft for golf clubs comprising a tube of hard resilient steel composition comprising integrally joined substantially cylindrical tube sections disposed between the handle and the club head ends of progresl0- sively decreased lengths and diameters and increased wallthicknesses as the club head end of the shaft is approached.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature this 21st da)7 of July.^1927.

ROBERT H. COWDERY. 

